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Druidry
Druidry is a religion based on the worship of Terrana, the incarnation of Anor Mundus. Druidry is considered paganism by the Empire of Centros. Unlike other religions, druidry does not have followers, those who follow are either apprentices or full fledged druids. History of Druidry The Kuftnirs were the first to worship Terrana. After the second exile they stepped fot on Atmora where a forest sprung before them. Soon some of the Eldest first communed with Terrana and learned the ways of nature. Although the Kuftnirs were naturally isolationists, the druids spread through the world to create new henges and take care of the land in the name of their Faith. With the appearance of Humans in the third age, some were initiated into the craft and eventually develpped their own traditions, many of the old henges being given to them. Occasionally, some of the other races have been trained in the craft. Initiation Kuftnir The wild elves have a very hands on approach to druidry and initiation. Unlike human who adopted a more scholarly route through the learning of meditation and devotion, the initiation of a would-be druid is brutal and dangerous, sending the youth alone and naked in the most dangerous lands of the Millenial Forest to understand the pulse of life on Anor Mundus. In this isolation, the initiate's mettle is tested and if he survive initially, a guide animal, elemental or Fae will approach him, channeling the essence of Terrana and instructing him, creating his binding to the world and thus granting him his powers. The initiate is further tested until deemed ready where he will go on his way, either to find a Henge or travel the world to accomplish his mission. Once this is complete, the Initiate will have learned the Secret tongue of the druids. Human As humans do not possess the same natural abilities as the wild elves, the first human druids altered the teachings to fir more within their physical abilities and the mental make up of mankind. Where wild elves live in the wild and practice openly if somewhat reclusively, Humans have to hide from inquisition and the temples. Human druids live within human settlement and have to hide their affiliation from others. Human druids select initiates at a teenage age based on several factors; wisdom, respect and dutifulness. Many of the recruits are taken from orphanages or runaways. The druid will then test the prospect to see if they have the requisite mental state to begin the training. Once approved, the initiate will be taught language, history and theology by the drop to build their knowledge and often asked to meditate on problems and the nature of the world. Once the teacher feels that his pupil has the requisite base, he will bring him in the deep woods, in a network of caverns or other locations to let the initiate make his first contact with the servants of Terrana. Practice Worship To say that Druids worship the earth or Terrana is misleading. Druids do not pray or conduct ceremonies like the Priests of the gods do. They see themselves as caretakers in Terrana's absence, guardians of the land and of the primordial powers. Druids often meditate to commune with the remain of Terrana, allowing them to recharge their powers every day. Morality is not a key element of the druidic faith which prides balance over everything and moderation as the best answer. Druids also favor letting people make mistakes and learn by themselves rather than shield others. Mission Druids are under compulsion to protect the wild but are not entirely fanatical in their mission. While they would oppose clear cutting, druids would not object to small operations that are necessary. They also fight brutally but only when necessary, rarely objecting to letting incidental foes go rather than slay them, with the exception when their enemies are a threat to balance and the well being of Anor Mundus. Avatars Although Terrana remains the sole deity worshiped by druids, a handful of beings are honored by them as bearer of the shards of their dead goddess. Those beings have no name, only being referred to by the title granted to them. The Horned One Known as the Essence of Passion, the Horned one is similar to a Satyr but bearer of much greater powers and only partially physical in nature. The Horned one represent the two baser instinct; Violence and Sexuality. The Hydra The giant four headed serpent known as the Hydra is the representation of the four elements. Each heads are composed of the element that they represent. The Gardener Give of life, the Gardener is a healer and a tender of both the mind and the body. The gardener takes the form of an old man that is part plant that wanders the world, looking as a member of the race he walks among. The Tree of Ages Older than any other beings on Anor Mundus, the Tree of Ages is the eldest oak in the world, having a life on it's own. It is sometimes known as the Memory of the world, as it remembers the time that predate the arrival of the elves and the days where the native races discovered fire. The Great Stag Referred to as the Keeper of the Wild, the great stag is a majestic guardians of the wild lands. The Genus Loci The Genus loci are special spirits that are tied to the world itself. Every location has a genus loci of power equivalent to the body the represent. Terrana herself is considered the Genus Loci of Anor Mundus. Sacred Sites Henge Sacred sites to the druids are the Henges. These sets of megaliths are often built around a world tree and are build in the center of healthy wild lands, most often in forest but sometimes in other environments. World Tree World trees are massive magical oaks that are taken from cuts of the Tree of ages and planted elsewhere in the world. Those trees blossom into connections to the elemental planes as well as strengthening the sight of the parent tree.